Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department are seeking more victims in a series of thefts they say occurred between January and June of this year involving collectible gaming cards.

According to the LAPD, detectives were able to identify a pattern of crimes and connect them to a serial theft suspect.

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The thefts occurred between January 9, 2026 and June 9, 2026 in North Hollywood and Hollywood.

 In each incident, the suspect contacted sellers of collectable gaming cards through online peer-to-peer marketplaces and arranged to meet them to purchase items in cash. Investigators determined that the suspect would meet near ATM machines and portray that he had just withdrawn money, placing it in a bank envelope,  the LAPD said in a statement.

The cards were said to have been Pokemon cards.

According to the LAPD, the suspected thief mixed some genuine bills with other counterfeit bills when making the purchase and the sellers did not realize the money was fake until they had left.

Investigators and the Huntington Park Police Department located the suspected thief on June 11 during a traffic stop in the 2500 block of Zoe Avenue in Huntington Park.

Investigators located multiple collectable cards along with counterfeit $100 bills, LAPD said.

The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Zachary Mitchell, a resident of Los Angeles.

Mitchel was booked for Grand Theft at Van Nuys Jail. The case is being presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration, LAPD said.

Detectives urge anyone else who has not reported a theft but were victimized by Mitchell to contact the LAPD immediately.

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